About the Alliance

Purpose of Alliance

The Oklahoma Midwives Alliance was founded in 1985. It was the first organization of its kind in Oklahoma. As the pioneer midwifery organization in the state, it stays true to its founding principles while remaining relevant to today’s midwives.

Our goal is to facilitate the community of midwives in Oklahoma and surrounding areas in working together, supporting each other and the furthering of the education of midwives and the public. It is also our goal to represent Midwives and Mothers in Oklahoma in their pursuit of out of hospital birth with a trained Midwife in attendance. As an organization, we promote safe midwifery care through Evidence Based Care and the process of Informed Consent and Refusal. We also value the continual development of positive relationships between Midwives and higher level medical care. Our desire is to grow together, supporting each other while providing professional accountability, and furthering the advancement of midwifery in Oklahoma.

We promote the health and well-being of women and families through the development and support of the profession of all midwives, families and consumers regardless of race, religion or philosophical beliefs

Vision

Midwifery is the standard of care for all healthy women during the childbearing cycle.

Midwives support each other in maintaining and improving the quality of care provided to birthing women and their families.

Professional recognition of midwifery as a safe and valid choice for maternity care.

Values the OMA upholds:

Communication

Accountability

Informed choice

Risk assessment

Evidence based care

Continuity of care

Goals:

Promote public awareness of midwifery.

Protect birthing options and support women’s informed choices.

Lobby and advocate for issues related to midwifery and women’s health care.

Support midwives through opportunities for continuing education and independent peer review.

Promote accountability

Promote interprofessional communication and collaboration

Peer Reviews

Local peer review brings midwives in an area together on a regular basis to discuss their cases and learn from each other. It is an opportunity for cohesiveness within a community and can serve as a foundation when difficult situations arise. Sooner or later in every community there will be an issue that must be faced. Having an ongoing peer review provides a stable environment for solving problems and lending support to one another.

Beyond community support lie the professional ethical concerns. Peer review adds validity to the certification process and is required in many medical settings. Citizens can know that their practitioner participates in peer review, and that, if a concern is raised, there is a platform for discussion and follow-up. Other health care practitioners can also know and recognize the professionalism involved in maintaining local peer review.

If a formal complaint is filed against an OMA midwife, the complaint will be addressed in local peer review. Establishing local peer review is a worthwhile preparation for future problem solving.

Grievance Mechanism

The OMA recognizes that each midwife will practice according to her own conscience, practice guidelines and skill level. OMA midwives shall not be prevented from providing individualized care.

When a midwife extends beyond her guidelines of practice, the midwife must be prepared to give evidence of informed consent as well as to document the process that led the midwife to be able to show that the client was fully informed of the potential negative consequences, as well as the benefits of proceeding outside of practice guidelines.

The OMA recognizes it’s responsibility to protect the integrity and the value of the certification process. This is accomplished through the availability of a grievance mechanism. All midwives will have the opportunity to speak to any written complaints against them before any action is taken against their certificates.

If a conflict arises regarding a midwife, a formal, written complaint must be made in order for the OMA Review Board to consider the grievance. Mediation may be utilized to reach an acceptable outcome.

All OMA intern/senior midwives are required to attend peer review on the local level.